I N F A N T M O R T A L I T Y R A T E A M O N G A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N A N D T H E G E N E R A L P O P U L A T I O N O F

M A S S A C H U S E T T S

T H U L E , P E T R E N A S O M E R V I L L E , J O S E P H I N E D E N N I S

Health Disparity 1

Health Disparity

Health Disparity : A health condition or disease that is higher for one group than the general public.

These disparities can stem from many factors : Accessibility of health care

Occupational exposure

Underlying genetic, ethnic, or familial factors.

2

Infant Mortality

Infant Mortality : The death of an infant before his or her first birthday

In Massachusetts, Infant Mortality rate is high in African Americans.

African American women are four times more likely than any other race to experience infant deaths related to cord and placental complications.

3

Infant Mortality Rate

Infant Mortality Rate : An estimate of the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births.

4

Evidence of Disparity

Compared to other races, the prevalence in infant mortality rates of African American group is alarming.

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Race

African American

White (non-hispanic)

Hispanic

Asian/ Pacific Islander

Infant Mortality Rate Based on Race in Massachusetts from 2006-2009

Ra

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er

Th

ou

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nd

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B

irth

s

Race/Hispanic Ethnicity Report - Birth and Perinatal Indicators. (2014, January 1). Health and Human Services. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/researcher/community-health/masschip/birth-and-perinatal-indicators.html

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Infant Mortality Rates Massachusetts vs. Worcester

02468

10121416

African-American

White (non-hispanic)

State

Worcester

Infant Mortality Rate based on Race Between the State and Area from 2006-2009

Ra

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Th

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Bir

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Race

Race/Hispanic Ethnicity Report - Birth and Perinatal Indicators. (2014, January 1). Health and Human Services. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/researcher/community-health/masschip/birth-and-perinatal-indicators.html

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Why Is High Infant Mortality Considered a Disparity?

African American women are four times more likely than any other race to experience infant deaths related to cord and placental complications

Infants born to black women are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to die than those born to women of races.

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High Infant Mortality Rates in African American Women

• African American women are more likely to experience infant mortality in the first year of their child’s life.

• Infant deaths are caused by:

• Low birth weight

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

• Maternal complications during pregnancy

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Leading Causes of Infant Mortality Statistics

Cause ofDeath

(by rank)

# African American

Deaths(Raw

Numbers)

AfricanAmerican

Death Rate

#Non-Hispanic

White Deaths(Raw

Numbers)

Non-Hispanic

White Death Rate

(1) Low-Birth weight

1,734 284.5 1,629 73.6

(2) Congenital Malformations

960 157.5 2,638 119.2

(3) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS)

614 100.7 1,213 54.8

(4) Maternal Complications

515 84.5 682 30.8

Infant Deaths and Mortality Rates for the Top Four Leading Causes of Death for African Americans, 2009 (Rates per 100,000 Live Births)

Infant Mortality and African Americans . (2013, January 1). Infant Mortality and African Americans. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3021

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Social Determinants of Infant Mortality 10

Causes of Premature Deliveries and Low Birth Weight Infants in the African American Community

Some of the causes include:

o Late or no prenatal care

o Miscommunication

o Nutrition deficiencies

o Minimal social support

o Late or no prenatal care

o Substance abuse

o Teen pregnancy

o Maternal complications

o Smoking

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Prenatal Care in African American Women

Prenatal care: A type of preventative care for pregnant women

African-American women are more likely to get late or no prenatal care

Most women are not able to get this type of care due to financial and insurance problems.

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Prenatal Care in African American Statistics

49%

51%

Percentage of Mothers Who

Received Prenatal Care Starting in the

First Trimester, 2011

AfricanAmerican

Non-HispanicWhite

70%

30%

Percentage of Live Births in Which

Mother Received Prenatal Care Starting in the Third Trimester

or Did Not Receive Prenatal Care, 2008

AfricanAmerican

Non-HispanicWhite

Infant Mortality and African Americans . (2013, January 1). Infant Mortality and African Americans. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3021

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Ways to Reduce Risks of Infant Mortality

Safe sleeping practices

Adequate prenatal care

Reduce the number of teen pregnancies

Increase the number of mothers who breastfeed

Health campaigns • "Back to Sleep" campaign

• Folic acid campaign’

Worcester Health Start Initiative Program

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The Worcester Health Start Initiative Program What is

this program

?

Who created

this program

?

What does it

do?

What did they hope

to achieve?

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Worcester’s Infant Mortality Rate : Taking It To The Streets!

Worcester has a higher rate than the state average and nation’s average

This program was created to reduce the disparity which show successes over the past 9 years.

It provides pregnant women prenatal care and several other social support services in the community.

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Worcester’s Infant Mortality Rate : Spreading The Word!

Worcester has received a grant to study the disparities relating to infant mortality

Worcester Department of Public Health and other city agencies are working closely to address ways to lower the IMR in African Americans

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Epidemiology of Infant Mortality 18

Conclusion 19

Citations

• Cohen, B., & O’Keefe, J. (2007, January 1). Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities by EOHHS Regions in Massachusetts. . Retrieved July 17, 2014, from http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/research-epi/disparity-report.pdf

• Cantwell, M., Chau, L., Kohistani, F., & Sadraei, A. (2014, January 1). Talking about Food: Improving Communication Between Ghanaian Women and Medical Practitioners. . Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-030914-205013/unrestricted/IQPFinalReport.pdf

• Infant Mortality and African Americans . (2013, January 1). Infant Mortality and African Americans. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3021

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